Questions & Answers
How does anyone find the time to meditate? I, for one, am incredibly busy.
Like all things in life, this is ultimately just a matter of priorities. If you realize that meditation actually provides you with important training for life, then you’ll start to see it as less of a hobby and more of an essential component of your daily routine, even if it’s only for five minutes in the morning when you wake up or before you go to bed at night. Everyone is busier than ever these days, but those who have tasted the power and benefits of a consistent meditation practice just make the decision that it’s something they can’t afford to skip.
Is it better to meditate on one’s own or with other people?
Both are needed to experience the full dimensions of the practice. If you have the opportunity to meditate with others—or even with one other person—then you should take it, because mutual support only helps, and meditating with others can also reveal new depths of meditation through the subtle “field” of consciousness that is generated between everyone. But don’t become so dependent on the support of others that you begin to lose your own independent strength and autonomy in the practice.
Often you’ll find it more tempting to scratch an itch or move around on your cushion when you know that no one is looking and you won’t be disturbing anyone but yourself. But learning to independently maintain your own internal resolve, willpower, and stillness when you’re all alone is a guaranteed way to build deep self-confidence and self-reliance through the practice of meditation.
I can’t sit longer than five minutes. How do I sit still?
As with anything else in life, meditation just takes practice. There’s no real trick to it other than that. A lot of people have trouble sitting still for one minute, so consider yourself ahead of the curve. But if you remind yourself that learning how to meditate properly is like exercising a new muscle, then you’ll be more patient with yourself when you don’t instantly get the results you want.
This practice just takes time, effort, and commitment. Commit to sitting still for five minutes, day after day, until you’re ready to try for six. If you don’t make it the first time, try again the next day. Eventually, if you’re serious enough, you will learn how to sit as still for as long as you want.
Do regular people meditate, or just monks and women?
Jack Dorsey, cofounder of Twitter and Square, meditates. Jack Dorsey is a billionaire. In fact, a lot of successful men meditate. Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce.com, has written about it. “Meditation allows me to focus. It removes the clutter that interferes with the actual thought process,” says Roger Berkowitz, CEO of Legal Sea Foods, which has thirty-two restaurants, four thousand employees, and revenues of more than $200 million. “Before, I could wrestle with a problem for a long time. After I started meditating, I could zero in on the solution almost instantaneously. So meditation doesn’t make me smarter, but it helps me connect the dots faster. You see the problem clearly, and you see a solution clearly.”
Is there any religious implication or affiliation with meditation?
The short answer is that The Golden Space meditation is universal and non-religious. Within popular culture, meditation has been seen to be associated with spiritual practices in the past. The truth has it, that most people in the world have already meditated. If you have relaxed looking at a beautiful sunset, allowing your thoughts to quiet down, this is close to meditation. If you have been reading a book for awhile, then put it down to take a break and just sat there quietly and peacefully for a few minutes without thinking, this is close to meditation.
What are the benefits of meditation for me as a beginner?
Physical Benefits of Meditation
With meditation, the physiology undergoes a change and every cell in the body is filled with more energy. This results in joy, peace, enthusiasm as the level of energy in the body increases.
On a physical level, meditation:
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Lowers high blood pressure
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Lowers the levels of blood lactate, reducing anxiety attacks
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Decreases any tension-related pain, such as, tension headaches, ulcers, insomnia, muscle and joint problem
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Increases serotonin production that improves mood and behaviour
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Improves the immune system
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Increases the energy level, as you gain an inner source of energy
Mental Benefits of Meditation
Meditation brings the brainwave pattern into an Alpha state that promotes healing. The mind becomes fresh, delicate and beautiful. With regular practice of meditation:
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Anxiety decreases
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Emotional stability improves
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Creativity increases
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Happiness increases
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Intuition develops
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Gain clarity and peace of mind
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Problems become smaller
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Meditation sharpens the mind by gaining focus and expands through relaxation
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A sharp mind without expansion causes tension, anger and frustration
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An expanded consciousness without sharpness can lead to lack of action/progress
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The balance of a sharp mind and an expanded consciousness brings perfection
Meditation makes you aware – that your inner attitude determines your happiness.
What are the abc’s of meditation?
There are a few recommended guidelines for meditation:
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It should be done every day, preferably at the same time
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It should preferably be done before a meal rather than after a meal
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A spot should be set aside for meditation, which should be a quiet place and used for nothing but meditation
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One should sit with the spine straight and vertical (a chair is ok to use)
How is meditation different from relaxation, thinking, concentration or self-hypnosis?
Relaxation:
Relaxation is a common by-product of meditation. Relaxation itself can assume many forms, such as taking a hot bath or reclining in the Lazy-boy and watching tv, etc. Meditation is an active process where the meditator remains fully aware of what the awareness is doing. It also attempts to transcend the thought process whereas many forms of relaxation still engage the thought process. Meditation allows the body to relax and can offset the effects of stress both mentally and physically to a potentially much greater degree than passive relaxation.
Thinking:
Thoughts generally consume energy in the process of their formation. Constant thought-activity, especially of random nature, can tire the mind and even bring on headache. Meditation attempts to transcend this crude level of thought activity. Through regular practice one becomes aware that they are not their thoughts but that there is an awareness that exists independent of thought. Descartes (“I think, therefore I am”) obviously was not a regular meditator!
Concentration:
Meditation begins with concentration, but after an initial period of concentration, thought activity decreases and keeping the awareness focused becomes more spontaneous. At this point the person may or may not continue to employ the object of concentration.
Self-hypnosis:
Self-hypnosis, like meditation, involves at least an initial period of concentration on an object. However in hypnosis one does not try to maintain an awareness of the here-and-now, or to stay conscious of the process. Instead one essentially enters a sort of semi-conscious trance.
What must I bring along for the meditation session?
Wear comfortable clothing that will allow you to sit on a cushion on the floor for the duration of the session. Bring a jacket/sweater/shawl in case you find the air-conditioning too cold for you. Bring a water bottle – free water refill available.
I have never done any meditation before. Can I join your meditation session?
Our meditation sessions are suitable for everyone, whether you are new to meditation or have been meditating for a long time. There are no pre-requisites, except for our flagship “Awaken ∼ the Divine You” program which requires students to progress level by level. All sessions are Universal and Non-Religious.